Is Sabyasachi’s career path forking out equally between films and fashion or is he still trying to find which one defines his primary domain?

Reassuringly enough,clothing (and not just fashion) has become a part film festivals from India that are held abroad. At least that’s what the recently concluded Indian Film Festival at Melbourne indicated. Besides inviting filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi for a master class on ‘Talking Through Laughter’ and writer-director Rituparno Ghosh on ‘Realism in Indian Cinema’,the organisers invited designer Sabyasachi to conduct a masterclass titled ‘Talking Through Fabric’. Sabyasachi has designed costumes for films like R Balki’s ‘Paa’,Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’,Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Guzaarish’ and was honoured with the National Film Award for ‘Black’ (also by Bhansali where costumes added to the dark commentary of human helplessness and hope).

Dressed in apple green trousers and a black jacket with a stole hanging casually from his neck,Sabyasachi started with a disclaimer saying he is not from mainstream Bollywood and that his work primarily revolved around fashion.

I found his chat quite engaging&#8213;he brought up numerous film references and mentioned stars we all recognise. Not only that,he kept the audience in good humour and talked about why he had dressed the characters in the films he had designed in a certain way.

Yet,I am unable to understand his revolving stand around fashion as priority. He has often been quoted saying he wants to do clothing,not fashion. Two,the current buzz in the industry is that Sabyasachi is too busy with his film commitments to show at any fashion week this year. It leaves me confused. Are films his priority and fashion his passion? Or is fashion his fall back plan but also allows him to steer his costume designing for Hindi films. I plan to ask him.